Must… Resist… Urge to Awww… Must attempt objective analysis… look at the.. colours… and the composition… and think about the framing and consider the… consider the…. Oh he’s so adorable! I want one! Look at him with his little hat! And it doesn’t quite fit him and oh it’s so cute! And, and and AWWWWW!… ahem. I mean, I like Scorsese films.
Now that I’ve tried (and failed miserably) to analyse the cinematography of the film, allow me to explain why Gremlins is perhaps the ultimate Christmas film of all time – and it’s not all because of this cute little fella (although it mostly is). With a magical Jerry Goldsmith score (the Gizmo motif, not the ghoulish main theme), festive mise-en-scène that practically screams Christmas, and a sweet-natured heart at its centre (Spielberg again), Gremlins does all that a Christmas film should whilst also having a mischievous and anarchic sense of fun.
So why this shot here? Because… well Gizmo. Look at him! Who could see such a little ball of appealing delight and feel anything other than love and warmth inside? Sitting there in his Santa hat! This image should be enough to melt the heart of even the most disenchanted and cynical scrooge. Nothing gets you in the mood for the holiday of togetherness and giving than a collective “Nawww”. Just, maybe ignore Kate’s infamous and tragic Christmas story.
